Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Dominating this 500+ page Compendium are extensive sections covering
implementation of the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act. A third
equally extensive section focuses on water infrastructure.

The two federal laws, the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act,
provide the framework for the nation’s efforts to provide safe and healthy
water to its citizens. Although much progress has been made towards the goals
established in these laws, long-standing problems persist, and new problems
have emerged. Specific areas of interest include whether additional steps are
necessary to achieve the overall goals of these acts; how to meet the costs and
technological challenges of providing safe drinking water and cleaning the flow
of used water from a community; and what is the appropriate federal role in
guiding and paying for safe and healthy water and other activities.

Over the last 35 years, federal, state and local governments, and private
utilities have invested more than $100 billion in water infrastructure in order
to attain the goals of the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act, yet
remaining funding needs are projected to be as much as $660 billion over the
next two decades. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), if
there is no increase in investment, there will be about an $11 billion annual
gap between current capital expenditures for water infrastructure (which total
$23 billion annually) and projected spending needs. Analysts predict that,
barring major breakthroughs in technology, investment costs will rise for
decades to come as more of the existing water infrastructure deteriorates. Many
systems simultaneously face the need to increase security measures and to construct
treatment plants to remove newly regulated drinking water contaminants. At
issue are how to meet funding needs and what are the appropriate public and
private sector roles in doing so. State, municipal, and rural stakeholders have
called for greater federal investment in water infrastructure, while others
(including privately owned water utilities) have argued for greater
self-reliance.

Date of Report: October 25, 2012
Number of Pages: 523Order Number: C-12020Price: $79.95

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